Top best E Lawyers in Chicago | 12600 available

Evan D. Whitfield brings a 21st century touch to family law. As a former elite athlete having competed on a world stage, Whitfield brings the same tenacity, discipline and commitment to his family law practice. His unique perspective and diverse leadership experiences on the field have translated to courtroom success. Whitfield is an astute legal strategist whose focus, determination and competitive spirit are equally matched with his personable, relationship focused style of counsel. He connects with his clients and collaborates with them to bring about the best possible result for their cases. Whitfield makes the complex understandable, builds trust quickly and shepherds his clients through difficult terrain with ease.. Whitfield has made his mark as a family law counselor being recognized by many in the industry most recently as a 2018 Illinois Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Magazine for the 3rd straight year. He’s also been named to the Leading Lawyer’s Emerging Lawyer lists from 2015-2018 as well as a Top 40 Trial Lawyer Under 40 back in 2014.. After a professional soccer career that took him to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and to Belgium’s 1st Division of Soccer, Whitfield earned his Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University, College of Law with a certificate in family law.  While still playing professional soccer he earned an MA in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.  Whitfield obtained his Bachelors of Arts in Biological Anthropology & Anatomy with a focus in Primatology from Duke University.. In addition to his law practice, Whitfield gives back to his communities by volunteering for the American Bar Association, the Midwest Olympic Committee and Good Sports, Inc. When not practicing law, Evan enjoys reading and quality time with his spouse and young daughter.

Eva Kogut practices exclusively in the area of family law, including but not limited to, prenuptial agreements, post-nuptial agreements, child support matters, child custody, parenting time/visitation, property division, domestic violence, post-divorce issues such as enforcement and modifications and complex litigation.. With a commitment to helping her clients achieve the best possible results in their personal circumstances, Eva addresses how each client’s unique family challenges may be resolved and what each path may look like by educating her clients on the different approaches available. She helps them understand the benefits, risks, and costs of each approach to best meet their unique needs.. Many of Eva’s clients prefer to stay out of court, and she believes that the collaborative process is a good alternative to the traditional divorce process. Applying her litigation experience, supported by on-going education, she sees a consistent pattern: a less painful settlement process truly helps clients move forward in a way they chose and not in an arrangement imposed upon them by an impartial judge.. As a trained mediator, Eva believes that mediation can be an effective process for resolving divorce and family law issues in a manner that allows clients to maintain control over the process. Additionally, she handles process consultations, designed for those who are considering divorce via mediation.. Eva began her career in the demanding and litigious area of personal injury law. She was instrumental in helping clients negotiate settlements while becoming well versed in the areas of personal injury and medical malpractice.. Eva speaks fluent Polish, serving Chicago’s extensive Polish-speaking community in addressing all their family law issues.. Awards. Eva was recognized by Chicago Daily Law Bulletin on their 2022 Top Women in Law list for her commitment to the advancement of women in the legal field and improving the divorce experience of her clients. The award honors the most inspiring women in Chicago’s legal industry who emphasize mentorship of other women in the field and are successful in the legal community.. Beginning in 2018, Eva has been selected annually by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America list in the areas of family law, mediation and collaborative law. She is also named the 2021 Chicago Lawyer of the Year in Collaborative Law: Family Law and Family Law: Mediation.. Eva is proud to have been named to the Illinois Super Lawyers list since 2017 and the Illinois Leading Lawyer list since 2014. These distinguished lists are reserved for fewer than five percent of the lawyers in Illinois and recognize those who have attained a high degree of recognition and professional achievement.. In 2015, Eva was also recognized by the Chicago Law Bulletin for the “40 Under Forty: 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch.” Each year, the publication evaluates hundreds of peer nominations from the Illinois legal community to identify the most talented and well-respected attorneys working in the industry.

Eva E. Golabek joined Kralovec Jambois & Schwartz as an associate in 2011 to handle matters involving medical and nursing home negligence and personal injury across the state. She has dedicated her practice to serving those who have suffered significant injuries and the families who have lost a loved one, due to negligent care and treatment by medical providers. Her commitments to her clients, diligence, and drive have led to notable results on their behalf.. Between 2012 and 2015, Eva has successfully negotiated over nine million dollars in settlements on behalf of victims in cases involving nursing home and hospital acquired pressure ulcers, falls resulting in injury, malnutrition, dehydration, infection and choking. Additionally, Eva has worked on and settled a variety of personal injury matters, including slip and falls, and automobile accidents.. Her compassion extends beyond her place of employment, and she has served underprivileged communities by volunteering her time and providing pro bono legal services for Chicago Volunteer Legal Services and the Legal Aid Bureau.. Eva obtained her law degree from The John Marshall Law School in 2009 where she was a Moot Court Council member and a Herzog Moot Court Competition Semi-Finalist in 2008. Additionally, she participated in numerous trial competitions including the ABA Labor and Employment Law Competition in 2008, and the American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competitions in 2008 and 2009.. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University, Chicago, in 2004, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a member of the Student Honors Association and a National Honors Collegiate Scholar.

Ethan G. Zelizer provides legal counsel on labor and employment matters, with a focus on compliance, litigation, and dispute resolution. He frequently represents clients in cases involving non-competition agreements, trade secret misappropriation, and workplace discrimination. His experience spans federal, state, and local employment laws, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the National Labor Relations Act. Ethan also assists businesses with corporate reorganizations, mergers, reductions-in-force, and workplace policies. Certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and a Certified Labor Relations Professional, he is an active member of the American Bar Association. In addition to his legal work, he teaches and speaks on labor law issues, providing practical guidance to employers and employees alike.

Erin has been working in the personal injury and medical malpractice field advocating for Plaintiff's rights for almost 4 years.  She has settled well over $1million in compensation for her clients in the past year alone!  That said, she is willing and capable of taking the case to litigation and seeking, through the trial court system, the best compensation possible for her client.. Most importantly though, Erin will fight to achieve the best possible outcome for the injured individual, which is an product of discussion and agreement between herself and her clients.

Erin Doyle joined Kralovec, Jambois & Schwartz as an associate in 2012. She practices in the areas of medical negligence, wrongful death, personal injury, motor vehicle negligence, and product liability.. Erin has been recognized for her outstanding work and professional successes within the legal community. She has been selected as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers. This is an honor given to no more than 2.5 percent of Illinois attorneys under the age of forty.. Prior to joining the firm, Erin worked as an associate at Parrillo, Weiss & O’Halloran, concentrating primarily in personal injury defense. She has successfully tried over 75 civil jury trials to verdict. In addition, she has represented clients in over 150 arbitrations within the Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program and AAA binding arbitrations involving uninsured and underinsured motorist claims.. Erin graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 2007, after earning an undergraduate degree at Saint Louis University in 2004. While in law school, she was a member of the Southern Illinois University Law Journal.. Erin has been admitted into the Illinois Supreme Court and the United States District Court, Northern District.

Entertainment, Sports and Business Transactional lawyer. My experience includes both sides of the deal --the studio and talent side. I am a skilled negotiator and problem solver.

Emmett R. McCarthy was born on the south side of Chicago and attended Mt. Carmel High School. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and received his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law. While at DePaul, he received the CALI Award for Legal Ethics and was an Editor for the DePaul Environmental Law Digest. He has spoken at seminars for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Chicago Bar Association. He is past Chair of the Real Estate Taxation Committee and the Tax Sale and Tax Deed Subcommittee of the Chicago Bar Association, and has also served as Legislative Liaison for those committees.  Mr. McCarthy joined the firm in 2002 and has been a partner since 2007. Mr. McCarthy has been selected as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers.. Mr. McCarthy has handled a wide range of medical malpractice and personal injury claims, business and real estate transactions and other areas of civil litigation. He worked on a case that resulted in a record-breaking $51 million verdict for a client who was severely injured in an automobile collision. The verdict is the highest Illinois compensatory verdict for personal injury. He also worked on a case that resulted in a record-high verdict of $12,508,098 for the family of a quadriplegic child who drowned in a bathtub after being left unattended by her home health care nurse. The verdict is an Illinois high for death of a minor and is also a record high for death of a severely disabled individual.. Mr. McCarthy also handled a jury trial involving a breach of contract and fraud claim between two corporations regarding the sale of newspaper publications. The plaintiff pierced the defendant’s “corporate veil” and obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $580,. The plaintiff also won a motion to award pre-judgment interest of almost $85,. The judgment was affirmed on appeal in its entirety. The plaintiff then moved to collect on the judgment through a citation to discover assets and was forced to file a complaint to set aside a fraudulent transfer of the defendant’s largest tangible asset, the real estate of its president. The transfer was set aside and then the plaintiff levied against the real estate. Shortly before the levy sale, the defendant paid the judgment, plus post-judgment interest and costs, in full.. Mr. McCarthy’s practice is concentrated in real estate tax sale, tax deed and exemption matters; Indemnity Fund proceedings; sheriff levy sales; medical malpractice and personal injury claims; business and real estate transactions and other areas of civil litigation.

Emily Borg has dedicated the entirety of her nearly 15-year legal career to workers’ compensation defense, providing proactive counsel to clients who rely on her to vigorously defend their claims while ensuring their overall business objectives are met. Emily is highly knowledgeable in all facets of workers’ compensation claims, their litigation, and their management — experience that has translated into a 90 percent success rate before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission and Illinois courts. She also has extensive Illinois Appellate Court argument experience.. Emily’s clients represent a diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, staffing agencies, facility management, construction, financial services, and more. She handles each matter from intake through resolution with a hands-on approach that helps drive consistency and efficiency, and works closely with clients to formulate strategies and legal action plans that align with their objectives.. After graduating from DePaul University College of Law, Emily served as an elbow clerk to Justice Patrick Quinn in the Illinois Appellate Court.

Elliot R. Schiff is the founding partner of Schiff Gorman LLC. Following an outstanding legal education, he was selected for a judicial clerkship with Justice Francis Lorenz, Illinois Appellate Court. Since then, he has been in private practice with an emphasis on representing clients who have been damaged by legal malpractice of attorneys who have breached their fiduciary duties or been negligent. He is the author of "Legal Malpractice" published by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education and has also authored each of the Supplements to that publication thru 2012.Elliot’s commitment to excellence is reflected in the recognition the legal community has given him. Since 1980, he has received the designation of A.V, the highest rating offered by Martindale Hubbell Peer Review rating system for ability and ethical standards. Elliot is a fellow of the national Litigation Counsel of America representing less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an organization that is also by invitation only. He is the past president of The Society of Trial Lawyers, an organization limited to 250 attorneys in Illinois whose membership is by invitation only. He is also a member of Leading Lawyers of Illinois, an exclusive organization of just 5% of all practicing attorneys. Among his peers in Illinois, he has been named as a Super Lawyer every year since 2005. Elliot is an active member of the Illinois Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association and the Association for American Justice. He has lectured extensively before these organizations on trial techniques. The National Law Journal has twice recognized Elliot as having had an exceptional trial result including one trial rated as one the ten best verdicts of the year.

Ellen M. Babbitt concentrates in the area of higher education law, representing colleges and universities in tenure disputes, discrimination cases, government investigations, program and school closures, and other sensitive matters. She has authored numerous articles on program closure, accommodating students with disabilities, and best practices in designing EEO compliance programs for college campuses.

Elizabeth Kaveny during her professional career has obtained numerous verdicts and settlements of plaintiff personal injury and professional malpractice actions, each in excess of $1 million and some at more than $10 million. She is widely respected for her success at securing just compensation for her clients in such complex, medically related matters as misdiagnosis and failure to diagnose, which carry a high burden of proof to demonstrate negligence. For example, she and former partner Kevin Burke secured a $12 million settlement from a Glenview, Illinois, hospital for a client who suffered severe injury and trauma due to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. She was one of the first attorneys in the country to file suit against New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Massachusetts on behalf of a number of victims in the outbreak of fungal meningitis traced to contaminated steroid injections. Beth is equally effective in proving liability to secure redress for clients’ injuries and medical expenses sustained from the negligence of others that contributed to falls, fires and vehicular accidents.. Such clients value Beth’s personal approach to building a working relationship with them. As a self-described “people person,” Beth strives to build the kind of trust accorded a family member, visiting clients in their homes and learning about their families and situations in detail. She emphasizes knowing her clients thoroughly, to build the foundation for the kind of credibility that leads to trial effectiveness. Because she is representing clients and families who have suffered major injury and loss, Beth approaches personal injury litigation as the opportunity to ensure that those who depend on her are not victimized by the legal system. Although she is always open to and effective at resolving a matter short of trial if it is in her client’s best interest to do so, Beth has an exceptional record of success in the courtroom. An important element of that success is her ability to blend time-tested trial skills with the application of innovative technology (including pioneering use of PowerPoint presentations) to help juries better understand key issues.. Her professional peers accord Beth the highest recognition for her litigation effectiveness. The peer-selected Leading Lawyers has named her one of the state’s Top 10 women litigators, Top 10 women personal injury lawyers and Top 10 women consumer lawyers in personal injury and professional malpractice law. She has also been named one of the Top 50 Illinois Women Lawyers by Illinois Super Lawyers. In 2013 Beth was designated by Thomson Reuters and Chicago Magazine as one of “The Top Women Attorneys in Illinois” in the areas of personal injury plaintiff – medical malpractice; personal injury plaintiff – general; and general litigation. Such recognition reflects the fact that she has received Super Lawyer designation by her professional peers in every year beginning in 2006.. In a profile of Beth, the Chicago Tribune noted that “Chicago’s most powerful medical malpractice plaintiff’s law firms rarely have women as named partners,” but she became a founding name partner of her own firm after just 10 years in practice, and joined Burke Wise Morrissey Kaveny as a named partner in 2010. Further emphasizing such accomplishments, Crain’s Chicago Business in 2013 singled out Beth among established Chicago personal injury lawyers under the age of 50 for having an active trial practice, noted her as “an exception to the general rule [that] … not many top personal injury attorneys are women,” and listed four recent successes in which she secured well over $20 million on behalf of her clients.. Perhaps equally important is that Beth’s record of accomplishment coincides with her personal responsibilities as a parent of four young children, which contributes to the empathy she brings in counseling the families that seek her help.. Beth is involved in a wide range of professional activities. She has served in leadership positions in the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and is President and a member of the board of directors of the Illinois Bar Foundation, and she serves on the nominating committees of both organizations to help select their future leadership. She has been a director of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and frequently speaks on litigation-related topics before those and other organizations. In 2013 Beth was among a select group of lawyers named to a bipartisan screening committee that will help select Circuit Court judges for appointment to fill interim vacancies on the Cook County Circuit Court. Beth is a Fellow of the prestigious International Society of Barristers. She has taught courses at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and, for more than 15 years, has been both an instructor in trial advocacy at Loyola University of Chicago Law School and an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at Northwestern University Law School. Beth served as President of the Chicago Chapter of the American Inns of Court for the organization’s 2014 to 2015 membership year. In October 2014 Beth was one of five women to receive the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois’ 2014 Top Women Lawyers in Leadership award.

Elizabeth focuses on helping small and mid-size businesses, business owners, and executives meet their legal needs. She handles simple and complex business law matters and estate planning matters for her clients in a cost-effective and professional manner. She also strives to build strong relationships with each client. Elizabeth looks forward to speaking with you to see how she can help you meet your business and personal legal needs.

Elizabeth Fink focuses her career on the practice of Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Administration, Guardianships, and Medicaid Planning.  She has been practicing law in Chicago, IL since 2009 and has represented clients throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.. Elizabeth received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Denison University and spent a semester of study at Justus-Liebig-Universität in Giessen, Germany.  She received her Juris Doctorate from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL and was admitted to the Illinois State Bar in May 2009.. Elizabeth is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), Illinois Chapter and was elected to its Board of Directors in 2013, where she continues to serve as an active Board Member.  She also co-chairs the education committee for Illinois NALEA.  Elizabeth is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, participating in the Elder Law Committee and Probate Practice Committee, and is a mentor with the Chicago Bar Association group mentoring program in Probate and Estates.  Elizabeth is a member of the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) Elder Law Short Course planning committee and presented at the 11th Annual Course in November 2015.  She has also been named to the 2016 Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars list.

Eirene Nakamura Salvi joined Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. in 2016. She concentrates her legal practice on cases involving medical malpractice, personal injury, and product liability.. Ms. Salvi has obtained a number of noteworthy verdicts and settlements. In her first trial with the firm, Ms. Salvi won an $11.25 million jury verdict on behalf of a mother who was killed in a car crash. In 2017, Ms. Salvi was part of a trial team that won a record-setting $148 million jury verdict on behalf of a dancer paralyzed by a collapsed pedestrian shelter at O’Hare International Airport. The verdict is the highest compensatory verdict ever awarded to an individual plaintiff in the state of Illinois. In 2020, Ms. Salvi obtained a $9 million jury verdict for the family of a father and son killed in a car crash. The verdict is the highest verdict ever awarded in Boone County, Illinois and the case was one of the few civil jury trials to take place during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.. Every year since 2018, she has been recognized as a Rising Star by Illinois Super Lawyers. In 2018, she was honored with a Trial Lawyer Excellence Award by The Jury Verdict Reporter and Law Bulletin Media.. In 2020, Ms. Salvi was selected as the recipient of the Diversity Leadership Award by the Illinois State Bar Association. The award recognizes a person or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of diversity within the Illinois legal community, its judiciary and/or the Illinois State Bar Association.. Ms. Salvi is a co-chair and founding member of the Chicago Committee of the Japanese American Bar Association. The group provides a special forum for members of the legal profession with interests and ties to the Japanese American community to discuss issues, network, and serve the community. Ms. Salvi is also a board member of the Japanese American Bar Association Educational Foundation and an officer of the board of Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth, an organization that channels the legal community’s resources to promote one-to-one mentoring and tutoring programs in disadvantaged Chicago communities. In addition, Ms. Salvi serves on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, which aims to develop strategies and programs to increase minority membership and participation in leadership roles and joint programs with other minority bar associations.. Additional credentials and distinctions include membership in the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Illinois State Bar Association, American Association for Justice, Chinese American Bar Association, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and the Chicago Bar Association.. Ms. Salvi received her law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 2015 and received her Bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in European History from Pacific Union College. During law school, Ms. Salvi became involved in plaintiffs’ justice and human rights issues when she assisted a professor in writing an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the families of victims of terrorism against the Islamic State of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism. She also served as an extern for the National Immigrant Justice Center. She was successful in filing an application for humanitarian parole for the victim of gross human rights violations in the Central Democratic Republic of Congo. During her time at Notre Dame Law School, she also served as vice president of the Asian Law Students Association and was active in the Black Law Students Association and Hispanic student groups. Her academic accomplishments include receiving an academic scholarship to the University of Notre Dame and membership in Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society.. Ms. Salvi also speaks Spanish, Japanese, and French.

Eileen M. Letts graduated from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1978 and received the degree of Juris Doctor. She was admitted to practice before the Illinois Bar and the Federal Bar. She received her Bachelor of Arts from The Ohio State University in 1975. Ms. Letts prior employment includes serving as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Glenn T. Johnson, Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court from 1978 – 1980. In January of 1990, Ms. Letts and Martin P. Greene left another Chicago law firm to form Greene and Letts.. Ms. Letts has practiced law since 1979 and has extensive experience in litigation. Ms. Letts’ litigation experience includes dozens of jury trials and over 100 bench trials.  She has successfully defended scores of complex tort litigation matters and handled medical malpractice cases.  She has also tried contract disputes and construction litigation claims. She is a frequent presenter at continuing legal education seminars and panel discussions of the American Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education. She currently serves on ABA Section of Litigation, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the ABA’s Commission on IOLTA. Ms. Letts is the recipient of numerous awards. She is listed as a Super Lawyer and has an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell. She is a member of the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association and the Black Women Lawyers Association.

Effective appellate advocacy requires specialized skills to analyze the pertinent legal issues and see the case the way appellate justices do, ensuring that the law and applicable procedure were followed in the trial court.  An effective appellate lawyer must be well-versed in pertinent case law and applicable procedural rules, with the ability to identify those issues and arguments which are likely to be most successful.   Ms. Jochner is such a lawyer.. Ms. Jochner served for 15 years as a judicial law clerk to two Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court: the late Hon. Mary Ann G. McMorrow and the Hon. Charles E. Freeman.   During her tenure  with our State's highest tribunal, she has worked on numerous high-profile matters involving cutting-edge issues of first impression, providing her with a unique breadth and depth of experience in all areas of substantive law combined with a keen understanding of the mechanics of our courts of review.   Her first-hand experience and crucial insights into the State appellate court system provide her with the basis to craft and communicate compelling appellate strategy and arguments.. A recognized legal scholar, expert writer and educator to law students and attorneys, Ms. Jochner has authored more than 150 articles on a wide array of legal topics appearing in publications nationwide, and her two columns, “Law From a Different Perspective” and "On Appeal," appear regularly in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.  In addition, she is listed in several “Who’s Who” publications, and was previously recognized as one of “40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch” by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.  She also regularly speaks on legal issues to various groups across the State, including seminars on effective legal writing and appellate advocacy.   In addition, for the last decade, she has appeared as part of the “Illinois Law” television broadcasts as a panelist for that series’ annual review of United States Supreme Court decisions.  She has also served as an adjunct professor at both DePaul University College of Law and The John Marshall Law School.  In testament to her career-long commitment to legal education, The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Ms. Jochner to serve on its Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Board.. As a well-known leader in the Chicago legal community, she is active with many organizations, including the Chicago Bar Association (CBA), where she serves as a member of both the Executive Committee of the CBA’s Alliance for Women and of the Editorial Board of the CBA Record, and chairs the CBA's Committee on Public Affairs.   She is similarly active with the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), where she is a past member of the Board of Governors and the Editorial Board of the Illinois Bar Journal.  Currently, she is a co-editor of both the Bench & Bar Newsletter and Trial Briefs, serves as a member of the Family Law Section Council, and is an elected member of the ISBA Assembly. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE), as well as on two panels at her alma mater, DePaul University College of Law: the Dean’s Council and the Advisory Board for the Center for Public Interest Law.  She also holds several leadership positions within the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and serves on the Leader Council for Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.. Recognizing the importance of ensuring that the future of the legal profession is in good hands, Ms. Jochner also actively mentors numerous law students at DePaul, as well as through Phi Alpha Delta.  Her mentoring efforts were recently recognized by The Chicago Lawyer Magazine in naming her one of 2013's "Women Making an Impact."

Donna J. Pugh is a partner at Foley & Lardner LLP where she focuses her practice on obtaining governmental approvals related to land use and zoning on behalf of her retail, health care and corporate clients. With her approach of bridging the gap between client, civic and municipal needs, Ms. Pugh has an exceptionally high success rate of securing necessary entitlements for land development projects in the Chicago area.. A consensus builder, Ms. Pugh works to unite property owners, elected officials and community groups to achieve approvals that maximize flexibility of future land use and benefit all involved stakeholders. A member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice and Senior Living Industry Team, she was selected for inclusion in the 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Illinois Super Lawyers® lists for her zoning and land use work. She was also selected for inclusion in the 2010 Super Lawyers® Corporate Counsel list. She has been selected as a Leading Lawyer in the area of Land Use, Zoning & Condemnation Law from 2003-2010, and was named as one of the Top Business Lawyers in Illinois in 2010 Leading Lawyers Magazine – Business Edition. Ms. Pugh is recognized in the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers of America for her work in land use and zoning law. *. Ms. Pugh has experience in securing rezoning, variations, text amendments and other land use approvals.. Ms. Pugh is proud to recognize that the firm Foley & Lardner LLP has taken top honors in client service among law firms serving the Fortune 1000 and has been ranked number one on the 2010 BTI Client Service 30 list.. * The Illinois Supreme Court does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.

Divorce becomes a critical stage in the lives of individuals going through it for many reasons; a predominant concern is the threat to their quality of life. With balanced, yet aggressive advocacy, Eric L. Schulman helps protect the lifestyle of clients and their children, especially if a spouse lacks experience in managing family finances. Mr. Schulman is diligent about examining income, spending and assets to make sure that all resources are known for the benefit of his clients.. Since every divorce, like every person, is different, Mr. Schulman provides clients with individualized attention from start to finish of their case. A careful listener, he helps clients identify goals, then keeps their needs at the forefront as he works towards a favorable result. Known for hard work and exceptional effort, Mr. Schulman also strives to manage cases with efficiency and consideration to cost. Above all, honesty and integrity characterize his counsel.. Elected a partner at Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP in 2004, Mr. Schulman lectures in the areas of family law and has taught classes on Illinois divorce law for the College of Lake County and has served as a guest lecturer for Loyola University School of Law. He is a former Family Law Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section and previously served as a member of the Judicial Evaluation Committee for the Chicago Bar Association.. Since 2006 Mr. Schulman has been named a "Leading Lawyer" in the practice of Illinois family law by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, and in 2007 was chosen as one of the "40 Attorneys Under 40 in Illinois to Watch.” He was previously named a "Rising Star" Illinois attorney, and in 2012, an Illinois Super Lawyer.  He also has been named as one of the Nation's Leading Matrimonial Lawyers in Best Lawyers in America by Neifeh and Smith.  Mr. Schulman is also a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Devin Quackenbush was born and raised in Utah County, Utah.  He became interested in the law at an early age. During his undergraduate studies at Brigham Young University, Devin interned for the FBI in Quantico, Virginia.  From his experience at the FBI, Devin's interests in the law increased and he decided to pursue a career as an attorney.. Devin went to law school at Creighton University where he was the Executive Editor of the Creighton Law Review.  He was published in the 42nd volume of the law review for his case note on child immunizations and religious exemptions.  During and after law school, Devin found opportunities in Alaska, beginning with working for the District Attorney's Office in Palmer, Alaska.  Devin passed the Alaska Bar Exam and was offered a position as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Eric Smith of the Alaska Superior Court. Working as a judicial law clerk for Judge Smith, Devin was exposed to a variety of cases from attorneys representing people seeking their day in court.  As a judicial law clerk, Devin gained a unique perspective of why some techniques utilized by lawyers are more persuasive than others.. After his clerkship term ended, Devin accepted a position at a prominent law firm in Anchorage, Alaska. Devin represented clients in cases involving professional liability defense, municipal litigation, appellate practice, employment and labor law, products liability, commercial litigation, and professional licensing issues.  Devin also assisted in cases for high-profile politicians, multiple insurance companies, as well as for heavy equipment, helicopter, firearm and a number of other product manufacturers.. Although he was successful in Alaska, Devin decided that his home state of Utah is where he wanted to be. Devin returned to Utah and became licensed to practice law in Utah.  Devin's successful practice continues to involve the same areas of law that he was involved with in Alaska.  In addition to those areas of the law, Devin's practice has expanded to include personal injury law, family law, contracts, real estate and wills/estate planning.   Devin discovered that often good people and businesses find themselves in precarious situations with the law and need quality legal representation to pursue their rights. Devin endeavors to help these people and businesses by aggressively representing their interests. Devin's track record of success in Utah has benefited people from all walks of life.

Derek Martin is from the south suburbs of Chicago. He attended Illinois State University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Derek worked at a major media company for five years before deciding to enroll in law school.. He attended Chicago-Kent College of Law part-time in the evenings while working full-time during the day. Derek supervised and managed 55 employees at the company, before leaving to practice law full-time.. As a real estate investor since his early twenties, Derek built a law practice managing real estate transactions for investors throughout Chicagoland.. Derek has since co-founded Driver Defense Team where he manages the daily operations of the firm and represents clients each day in all types of traffic defense and DUI matters.

Defending clients charged with complex criminal cases throughout Illinois, including Cook, Will, and DuPage counties. We serve ALL Chicagoland courthouses and branches – Chicago, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview, Markham, Joliet, and Wheaton.. State and federal prosecutors like to work from a position of strength, and they don’t hesitate to use their access to almost unlimited resources to obtain convictions. The job of a criminal defense lawyer is to attack a prosecutor’s confidence in the strength of the case. That’s what opens the door to dismissal, favorable plea agreements and victories at trial.. At the Law Office of Robert Kerr, LLC, our Chicago criminal defense lawyers work hard to attack the strength of the government’s case against our client. We do this through intensive investigation, superior legal analysis, smart use of pretrial motions and other procedural tactics that can shift the balance in your favor. To learn how you can benefit from our aggressive approach to criminal defense, contact us in Chicago or the suburbs for a free consultation.. Call NOW for Dependable Criminal Defense Advice. Our Chicago criminal attorneys represent clients charged with very serious and complex criminal felony and misdemeanor charges ranging from robbery,DUI-drunk driving, drug crimes, sex crimes to homicide, drug possession / sale / trafficking,  or child pornography. No matter how serious your case is, you can count on our law firm for personal service, timely information and accurate advice about the best ways to protect your interests.. An important strength of our practice involves our familiarity with the diversion options and treatment programs that can often keep your case out of the criminal justice system. Even when the original charges expose you to a significant risk of punishment, our attorneys can find many ways to resolve your case through any of the many options available in Illinois, including drug court, drug school, theft school, supervision, special probation, and other alternatives to conviction or incarceration. Many of these options will keep your case eligible for expungement, and we can advise you about their availability in your situation.

Deborah B. Cole is a partner and member of the firm’s Estate Planning Group. Deborah has built her practice based upon her belief that professionally done estate planning is essential for every adult American. Although some estate planners focus on the super wealthy and senior citizens, Deborah believes that estate planning is an ongoing process, beneficial for young families, single parents with young children, recent divorcees, persons contemplating marriage, new retirees, as well as persons in non-traditional relationships and families planning for a person with Aspecial needs@ often due to a disability or the receipt of a large settlement. She focuses her practice on estate planning, which includes drafting wills, trusts, asset protection plans, health care directives and mental health directives. She also handles probate and trust administration matters, real estate matters and family business succession planning.. Although Deborah is well versed in the sophisticated planning tools and techniques required by larger estates and more complex situations, Deborah prides herself on assisting all of her clients in maintaining the maximum control over their assets and affairs, avoiding conflicts and accordingly financial abuse or exploitation during periods of mental incapacity. She also has been very effective at strategies to minimize taxation, and avoid, to the extent possible, lengthy and expensive probate and guardianship court proceedings. Deborah understands that providing thorough and personal service is the basis for successful client relationships, whether she is counseling individuals, families, corporate fiduciaries, charitable organizations or family business owners.. Deborah is a certified mediator and has provided mediation services on a volunteer basis with the Center For Conflict Resolution. She has handled disputes involving property damage, neighbor disputes, and child custody and visitation. However, because of her experience with guardianship matters, she has been particularly successful not mediating disputes among family members fighting over the care and control of finances of an elderly parent or family member. To Deborah, success in these situation is achieving a resolution to the dispute that all participating family members agree to, which avoids further court interaction, allows resources that would have been consumed in litigation costs to be redirected towards enhancing the care of the elderly person, and preserves family relationships. As of 2015, Deborah has added Guardianship and Probate mediation services to her practice.. Deborah’s professional work also reflects her conviction that preserving and supporting African American business owners and charitable organizations is critical to the growth and vitality of the community and to addressing issues concerning employment, education and crime. Deborah works with for profit business owners and charitable institutions to preserve and protect their businesses through trademark and copyright protection, planning for the proper business form, best practices, reporting to the appropriate governmental agencies and general planning for growth and diversification. Deborah is particularly proud of the work that she has done with family businesses to develop plans that will allow the business to continue with the next generation or maximize profit on sale.. In her spare time Deborah plays duplicate bridge as often as she can, and enjoys reading and travel.

Dean Taradash, founding member of The Taradash Group, P.C, is known as a tireless advocate for clients who face uncertainty in in a variety of family law issues in the family courts of Illinois. Mr. Taradash has extensive trial and negotiation experience in Domestic Relations courts across Illinois.. Mr. Taradash is highly regarded among his peers as being a strong presence in the courtroom and a persuasive advocate in settlement negotiations. He is a member of the American Bar Association (Family Law Section), the Illinois State Bar Association (Family Law Section), the Chicago Bar Association (Matrimonial Law Committee) and the Illinois Chapter of the Trial Lawyers of America.. For over 20 years, Mr. Taradash has helped clients in all areas of family and divorce law, including custody, visitation, relocation, maintenance (spousal support), and orders of protection. Mr. Taradash is a tireless and fierce advocate for his clients and understands that each client is unique and may have different needs. He tries to empathize with his clients in order to achieve the best results possible. Although Mr. Taradash is always willing to negotiate an equitable and fair settlement, Mr. Taradash understands that is not always possible and has the knowledge and experience necessary to take any issue to trial.. Mr. Taradash was bor and raised on the north side of Chicago. He went to undergrad at DePaul University and received a degree in political science. He received his juris doctor from  Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology.

Dean J. Papadakis, (Partner) born Oak Park, Illinois, 1969; admitted to bar, 1994, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Education: University of Illinois (B.A., 1991); Chicago-Kent College of Law (J.D., 1994). Visiting Student, University of Illinois College of Law, 1993-1994. Member, University of Illinois Law Review, 1993-1994. Member: Chicago Bar Association. Languages: Greek. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Commercial Real Estate Transactions. Email: Dean J. Papadakis